Cartridge case trimming device



Jan. 20, 1959 A. ANDERSON CARTRIDGE CASE TRIMMING DEVICE Filed Dec. 28, 1956 n w 1., 0v M U M .mn r. ad .m a y vaq & d r AH A m w/ z e ,7 A T m m f A CARTGE CAE TRTMNHNG DEVICE 1 Leonard A. Anderson, Royal, Iowa Application December 28, 1956, Serial No. 631,318-

6 Claims. (Ci. 8-24) This invention relates to a device for shortening and trimming cartridge cases such as shotgun shells.

Substantially all shotgun cartridge cases have the major portion of their length (and particularly their forward end area) of paper board. In relatively recent years longer shells have been introduced to the purchasing public. Also, many shooters are turning to the reloading of shells, previously purchased and shot. Many such reloaders object to the recrimping of the forward rim portion of the shell andtherefore prefer to trim the original-end crimp from the shell and make a somewhat shortened reloaded shell. Other-reloaders first purchase the longer shells and then when reloading them reduce their length to standard length; Still others in reloading their cases often make some of the reloads of relatively short lengths to provide shells of greatly reduced power. Regardless of the desires of the reloader, it is a most diflicult and time consuming task to manually trim the shell end by razor blade and/or scissors. Also, the finished result is usually ragged, rough and uneven.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of my inven tion is to provide a cartridge shell trimmer for individual hand loaders.

A further object of this invention is to provide a portable hand tool for cutting the paper board portion of shells that is rapid and accurate in operation.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a cartridge shell trimmer that may easily and quickly :be adjusted to produce cases of various desired lengths.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide a cartridge case trimmer that is economical in manufacture, durable in use, and refined in appearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination, of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of my device in use,

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the cartridge trimmer taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of my device taken on line 33 of Fig. 2 and more fully illustrates its construction.

In these drawings I have used the numeral It to designate the base portion which is in the form of a vertical rigid strap, as shown in Fig. l. The numeral 11 designates a handle grip portion secured to the rear end of the strap base 10. The numeral 12 designates a horizontal hole in the central area of the strap base 10, as shown in Fig. 2. Secured on the left side of the strap base and extending horizontally therefrom is a trough 13. This trough is \l-shaped in cross section and its longitudinal inside is in alignment with the hole 12. The numeral 14 designates a rod shaft resting slidably in the trough Due to the ti-construction of the trough, the

rod shaft 14 will automatically center therein. On the right end of the rod shaft is a pointed end 15. The numeral 16 designates a longitudinal slot in the rod shaft. The numeral 17 designates a pin extending upwardly from the bottom of the trough and'through the slot 16. The numeral 18 designates a thumb nut threaded onto the pin 17 and above the rod shaft. By this construction the nut may be loosened and the rod shaft slid to selected positions in the trough and then tightened to lock the rod shaft in such selected position. The numeral 19 designates a lever arm pivoted at its forward end to the upper forward end of the base strap 10. The numeral 2% designates a tongue guide on the rear area of the base strap 10 and is adapted to'slidably receive between it and the side of the base strap, the rear end portion of the lever arm. The numeral 21 designates a thumb handle on the rear end of the lever arm. The numeral 22 designates a razor blade detachably secured to the center area of the lever arm and having its edge extending toward the opening 12, as shown in Fig. 3. The numeral 23 designates an ordinary empty shotgun shell having the usual paper board front case 24.

The practical operation of my device is as follows: The lever arm is moved upwardly until the knife or razor blade is clear of the opening 12. The shell to be trimmed or cut is slid onto the right end of the rod shaft, as shown in Fig. 1. The rod shaft is longitudinally adjusted to bring the case directly under the razor blade and of a line where it is desired to sever the case. For accuracy as to the length of the case after it has been cut, a mark on the trough and gauge lines on the rod shaft may be imposed, as shown in Fig. 1, and used in the adjustment of the rod shaft. The pointed end of the rod shaft rides in the primer of the shell, thus stabilizing the shell and making for accuracy. The lever arm is lowered to bring the razor blade into engagement with the shell, as shown in Fig. 2. To sever the outer end portion of the shell, the thumb of the user engages the part 21 and depresses the lever arm so that the razor blade will cut into the shell wall. By manually rotating the shell on the rod shaft, the shell wall will be out completely around its cir-.

cumference. As soon as the shell has thus been cut into, there is nothing to prevent its manual movement to the right and from the rod shaft. The forward end of the shell will be clean cut, accurate, smooth, and even. For different diameters or gauges, a rod shaft of appro priate diameter is selected.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my cartridge case trimming device Without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a cartridge trimmer, a base portion, a trough on said base portion, a shaft rod slidably supported in said trough adapted to extend into the open end of a cartridge case, a means for locking said shaft rod against sliding movement in said trough,-an arm lever having one end pivoted to said base portion, and a razor blade detachably secured to said arm lever, adapted to engage a cartridge case at a point where it is supported by said shaft rod and trim the same when the cartridge case is manually rotated around said shaft rod.

2. In a cartridge trimmer, a base portion having a hole adapted to receive the forward end of a cartridge case, a trough on said base portion and having its longitudinal axis in alignment with the hole in said base, a shaft rod slidably supported in said trough adapted to extend into the open end of a cartridge case, a means for locking said shaft rod against-sliding movement in said trough, an arm lever having one end pivoted to said base portion, a thumb grip portion on said arm lever, and a cutting blade on said arm lever, adapted to engage a cartridge case at a point where it is supported by said shaft rod and trim the same when the cartridge case is manually rotated around said shaft rod.

3. In a cartridge trimmer, a base portion having a hole adapted to receive the forward end of a cartridge case, a V-shaped trough on said base portion and having its longitudinal axis in alignment with the hole in said base, a shaft rod slidable in said trough centered in the open end of a cartridge case, a means for locking said shaft rod against sliding movement in said trough, an arm lever having one end pivoted to said base portion, and a cutting blade on said arm lever, adapted to engage a cartridge case where it is supported by said rod and trim the same when the cartridge case is manually rotated around said shaft rod. 7

4. In a cartridge trimmer, a base portion having a hole adapted to receive the forward end of a cartridge case, a trough on said base portion and having its longitudinal axis in alignment with the hole in said base, a shaft rod in said trough and slidably supported in said trough for holding the same in the open end of a cartridge case and through the hole in saidbase, a means for locking said shaft rod against sliding movement in said trough, an arm lever having one end pivoted to said base portion, and a cutting blade on said arm lever, adapted to engage a cartridge case at a point where it is supported by said shaft rod and trim the same when the cartridge case is manually rotated around said shaft rod. I

5. In a cartridge trimmer, a base portion having a hole adapted to receive the forward end of a cartridge case, a handle member on said base portion, a trough on said base portion and having its longitudinal axis in alignment with the hole in said base, a shaft rod in said trough adapted to extend into the open end of a cartridge case, and through the hole in said base, a means for locking said shaft rod against sliding movement in said trough, an arm lever having one end pivoted to said base portion, and a cutting blade on said arm lever, adapted to engage a cartridge case at a point where it is supported by said shaft rod and trim the same when the cartridge case is manually rotated around said shaft rod.

6. In a cartridge trimmer, a base portion, a trough on said base portion, a shaft rod slidably adjustably resting in said trough adapted to extend into the open end of a cartridge case and having a slot, a bolt means secured to said trough and extending through the slot of said shaft rod, and a blade member operatively movably secured to said base portion, adapted to engage a cartridge case at a point where it is supported by said shaft rod and trim the same when the cartridge case is manually rotated around said shaft rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,752,676 Trickle July 3, 

